After Hours
by KelliP
Summary: Apparently, Castle and Beckett need some more practice at sneaking around, things becoming embarrassing when a mis-answered phone call blows the lid off their relationship. Loosely based on two separate spoilers.


**After Hours**

* * *

_A/N: Read two separate spoilers: one for how someone in the precinct finds out about their relationship, the other about the eighth episode. This is what happens when my head mingles the two together._

* * *

"Remind me why I can't come with you?" Castle asked for what surely was the millionth time.

Beckett simply rolled her eyes at his clingy behaviour. "Castle, it's just one night. I'm sure you'll survive."

They'd been working a homicide of a priest for a few days now, and seeing as their victim had ties with an Irish mob, they'd found next to nothing. Today, however, they'd finally caught a break when a witness stepped forward. The catch was now their witness needed protecting, and until witness protection took over tomorrow, that job rested with Beckett.

"Kate…" he sighed in disappointment.

"You really think this is how I'd like to spend my night?" she questioned him, one eyebrow rising. "I'd much rather be here with you than sleeping at some dumpy motel, but it's my _job_. I don't have a choice."

She moved away from him then, back to her wardrobe to grab a couple of shirts just in case she'd need to change. As she threw them into her overnight bag alongside the neatly folded workpants, she felt Castle's fingers skirt around her waist, brushing at the skin just underneath her blouse before he tugged her over. She fell into him easily, palms flat against his chest as she leaned against him.

"Just hear me out," he pleaded with her softly. Ramping up his act, Castle pouted his lips as he sent her the puppy-dog look he knew was irresistible.

"I've already told you no," Beckett reminded him a little more sternly this time, growing frustrated with his antics. "The department is only paying for one room, Castle."

Castle shook his head. "I think you've missed my point," he chuckled. Ever so enticingly, he trailed his fingertips up and down the curve of her spine before sneaking them back underneath her shirt to spread across her back. "This point is for us to _share_ a room, Kate. If we're in separate rooms, we can't-"

"I get it," she interrupted. "Just be serious for a second. Sharing a room is a complete giveaway."

"Not if they don't know I'm there," Castle pointed out, one eyebrow rising suggestively.

Beckett paused, chewing her lip as she considered. Spending the night with Castle _was _a tempting offer. "You have a plan?" she asked.

Castle simply grinned mischievously.

* * *

Castle had to give himself a pat on the back- his plan was ingenious. After Beckett escorted their witness to the motel for the night, she'd send him an all-clear message to join her. He'd spend the night, set his alarm for the crack of dawn, and leave with everyone none-the-wiser.

What could go wrong?

Apparently, _everything_ could go wrong. Sitting in his car parked around the corner from the motel, Castle waited for almost two hours before his phone lit up, alerting him to a new text from Beckett. Though he was beyond frustrated, Castle smoothed over his expression as he set off down the street, shoving his fists into his jacket pockets after knocking softly on the door.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered as she cracked open the door, allowing him to brush by her and enter. "Esposito wouldn't leave, and then Leo wouldn't go to sleep. Kept worrying someone would find out what he's doing. I had to practically shove a sleeping pill down his throat."

Castle shrugged casually as he tugged off his jacket, laying it across the table. "It's no big deal," he responded as Beckett linked their fingers together, tugging him into her room. The moment the door clicked shut behind hem, he snaked an arm Beckett's waist, fingers dancing across her lower back as he pulled her towards him.

Beckett bit down on her lower lip, peering up at him sheepishly from under her dark lashes. Tilting her head, she lent in close, her hot breath washing over his lips as she spoke. "You sure you don't want me to… make it up to you?"

Castle exhaled shakily as she began slipping the buttons of his shirts out of their holes, her fingertips brushing along his bare skin in their travel. "Oh, well…" he breathed, eyes roaming over her. "If you insist."

Beckett smiled as she pressed up flush against him, hands running through his hair as she tugged his lips down to meet hers. Much to his delight, she moved quickly, pushing him back onto the bed and throwing her legs over his hips. Castle grinned as her lips fell to his neck, her fingers slinking down his chest to finish off his buttons.

She'd just thrown his shirt across the room when the shrill sound of a cell phone ringtone sounded through the air.

Beckett broke away panting, fingers digging into his shoulders in frustration. "Answer it," she ordered. "Quick."

Fishing for the phone in his pocket, Castle let out a long groan when he was greeted with the picture of his mother flashing on the screen. There was barely a pause before he hit the silent button, ignoring his mother's call and dropping the phone onto the nightstand beside Beckett's.

"It'll hold until morning," he mumbled as he returned his lips to his.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Castle's fingers went straight for Beckett's blouse. When he couldn't manage the buttons fast enough, Castle growled, and instead yanked the shirt open. Buttons popping off in all directions, Beckett let out only a small cry in protest before he silenced her with his lips. Her cry morphing into a moan, he skirted his fingers across her stomach, heading straight for the button on her pants when his phone vibrated loudly across the nightstand.

He was going to _kill_ his mother.

Beckett sighed, dropping her head onto his shoulder in defeat. "You know she'll just keep ringing."

Beyond frustrated, Castle buried his face in her hair as he blindly reached for his phone on the nightstand. "What is so urgent that can't wait until the morning?" Castle grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

There was no response, nothing but the dull crackle of the phone line filling his ear.

"Hello?" Castle called out into the phone.

"Castle?"

"Esposito?" Castle questioned, tone lifting in surprise. "Sorry, I thought it was someone else. What's up?"

"I- is Beckett there?" Esposito asked.

Eyebrows knit together in confusion, Castle was about to respond when he felt Beckett's hot breath on his neck, her open lips pressing a wet kiss to his skin. "Ahh," he breathed, eyes shutting at the feeling. "Ah, no. Isn't she out with the witness?"

Needing to keep his head clear, Castle tried to pull away, but Beckett wasn't having any of it. Continuing her assault on his neck, her fingers began wandering over his shoulders, down his arms, across his chest. So he pressed his lips tight together to trap the sounds threatening to escape his throat and prayed Esposito made the call quick.

"I just…" Esposito trailed off.

Suddenly, Beckett popped open the button on his pants, fingers dipping straight in and causing Castle to elicit a loud gasp. Cringing at his reaction, he bit down on his fisted hand, hoping Esposito hadn't heard anything. "You what, Esposito?" he chocked out through his clenched jaw.

"I called Beckett's phone."

Castle froze, eyes snapping open in surprise. Beckett must have noticed the change in him because she pulled back, a question in her eyes. "What?" she mouthed.

Castle opened his mouth to explain, but Esposito was already talking, his tone amused. "You want to tell me why you're answering Beckett's phone in the middle of the night when she's out at a motel on assignment?"

Castle lowered the phone from his ear, and sure enough, he held Beckett's phone in his hand. Her eyes widened at the sight of it, one hand clapping over her mouth. "I-" he started, but Beckett was already shaking her head to stop him.

"_Castle_," she cried. Untangling herself from his arms, she ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"I'm sorry," he tried to apologise, discarding the phone somewhere on the bed. Stretching his fingers, Castle reached for her, but she scooted further away. "It was just bad timing, Kate. It wasn't my fault!"

She ignored him, turning her back on him by throwing her legs off the side of the bed. Castle remained silent as he watched her stare into space, trying to figure out what was running through her mind.

When her head dropped down into her palms, Castle scooted over to sit beside her. "Are you honestly mad at me?" he asked quietly, guilt flooding through him.

She gave a small shake of her head. "No," she admitted. "I'm just… I don't know," she sighed. "I just thought we'd have more time to ourselves."

"You know, Esposito _is_ the only one who knows," Castle started. "We could always… threaten him to keep silent?"

Beckett snorted at his apparently not-so-helpful suggestion. Not the least dejected, Castle was about to offer up another when her expression turned serious, mischievousness flickering in her eyes. Hands darting out, her fingers skirted across the sheets until they hit her phone. Retrieving it, she checked Esposito was still on the line before holding it up to her ear, her voice both a confirmation and a threat.

"Before you breathe a word of this to anyone, remember that I know _everything_ that's ever happened between you and Lanie," Beckett warned. "Including what happened last weekend. So unless you want the entire precinct knowing all about your escapades, I suggest you keep this little secret to yourself. Understood?"

Leaning in close, Castle heard Esposito whine in defeat. "Oh, come on, Becke-"

"Understood?" Beckett growled.

"Alright. Got it."

Beckett clicked off the phone before Esposito could get another word in. Castle leaned away from her, eyes following as her movements as she dropped the phone back down to the bed before she turning to face him. Twisting her body, she flung one leg back over his hips, nails digging into his chest as she pushed him back down onto the bed. "Now… where we were?" she teased before her lips were meeting his once again.

* * *

It was games on the next day at the precinct.

Beckett didn't think Esposito would be able to keep this secret to himself, and she was right. The moment she strode off the elevator with Castle in tow, Esposito smirked at them.

She was ready, though. Her eyes narrowing and game face at the ready, Beckett switched her attention to Ryan.

"Hey, Ryan," she called out. "Want to hear a story about last weekend?"

Esposito shot up out of his chair, scuffling across the bullpen to Beckett's desk. "We had a deal," he growled in a low voice.

Ryan didn't even look up from his paperwork as he interjected, his tone almost bored. "If this is about Javi and Lanie, I already know."

Esposito spun around, eyebrows high on his forehead in disbelief. "You know?" he questioned. "Oh, you _know_," he spoke with a wide grin.

Beckett's heart sank. Their leverage was gone. There was nothing stopping Esposito from spreading the news of their relationship.

"So," Esposito resumed, "if you already know about that, then I have a story for you."

Beckett shook her head slowly. "Esposito," she pleaded.

Esposito opened his mouth to respond when Ryan promptly interrupted.

"Already know about you and Castle, too, Beckett," Ryan continued coolly, flipping over a page as if he didn't care.

Beckett froze. "Wha- how?" she stuttered.

Ryan scoffed as he pushed his chair back, grabbing the empty coffee mug off his desk. "For detectives who make a living out of bluffing in an interrogation room, you're all terrible liars."

Beckett flushed a deep shade of red. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Oh, and Beckett?" Ryan added as he brushed by them on the way to the break room.

"Hmm?"

"Do me a favour and make sure your phone is switched off the next time we're on the line and you and Castle start going at it."

* * *

_Thoughts?_


End file.
